This past month, as part of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we reached out to a few of our AAPI creators to give them a chance to share their background and help spread words of positivity and inclusion from across the world.
Together from these creator stories and the millions of others broadcasting each day, we aim to build a more positive and inclusive platform that encourages everyone to live their authentic lives and feel comfortable with who they are.
BIGO ID: HannuhPanduh
“I was born in China but raised in America by an older, white couple. So my upbringing often left me wondering where I fit in.”
HannuhPanduh never thought she fit in growing up and attending a predominantly white private school. Any time she began to succeed with feeling normal, her differences got pointed out which led to being alienated and called names such as “Tiny Asian” or “Twinkie” because of her skin tone. By her early teens, HannuhPanduh decided she was done trying to conform to those around her and embrace her heritage as she entered a public high school where there was more diversity and inclusion to be themselves. Soon after high school, HannuhPanduh discovered Bigo Live and adopted her Panda identifier as a way to show the world that there is love to be found no matter what your background is.
On the platform, HannuhPanduh primarily streams herself gaming, but also broadcasts cooking, mukbang and cosplay as well. When she’s not being her authentic self on Bigo Live, fills her time working at a talent agency, Dragon Entertainment, and is also currently in school for cosmetology. In fact, HannuhPanduh has future plans to stream regular segments where she spills the secrets and hacks of professional beauticians.
Outside of her usual broadcasting, HannuhPanduh hosts AAPI panels as well as submits stories regularly to stopasianhate.org. HannuhPanduh’s panels held these discussions as a safe space to discuss sensitive topics like this and to educate those who don’t know better. Her policy is always to allow anyone to listen and tune into these panels, even if they’re coming for hate; a decision she says has been met with criticism but feels is important to provide an outlet for education and growth. “Not everyone can be helped but if the willingness to learn is there, that’s all it takes.”
BIGO ID: yo.ko
As a second-generation Chinese-Canadian growing up, yo.ko did not have a strong connection to her Asian community, but because of this her and her mother would travel to Hong Kong to learn about and establish a stronger connection to their heritage. Her travel and interest in learning led her to a career in education, where yo.ko teaches both on and off of Bigo Live. yo.ko represents fellow AAPI community members by being an active and popular broadcaster on the platform while teaching the application to others as well.
Throughout the year and especially during the month of May, yo.ko spreads awareness around issues in the AAPI community by participating in discussions on the history of marginalized people in North America. Most recently, yo.ko participated in a multi-house on AAPI awareness, a Canadian Livehouse on ACPI Awareness, and participated in discussions on the history of Chinatowns and Chinese in Canada as well as stopping Asian hate.
You can find yo.ko broadcasting her cooking, music, fashion advice as well as socializing with her fans and engaging in that interaction you just can’t find anywhere else. Viewers often compliment her style and is a member in many Bigo Live communities including Harajuku Fashion and Kawaii Club. In her free time, yo.ko likes to come up with content ideas for Livehouses and teach others about how to use the app. Getting to talk to people from all over the world and make networks of friends from all walks of life is one of the most rewarding things to her. The ability to connect with people from all backgrounds and find common interests is what keeps her coming back and engaging with others each day.
